Featured Story

Meet the Nuñez de Sole Family

Carl and Carol are married with no children. They live in a brand new home in Homestead, Florida.

Why They Decided to Make Changes

When the Nuñez family received their first electric bill they were shocked to owe so much. One night a commercial on TV showed that a good way to save energy was by purchasing ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs. The Nuñezes saw this as a possible way to save money on their electricity bill.

Brief Overview of Home Improvements

The Nuñez family made sure when they bought their home that it came with ENERGY STAR qualified appliances. They added ENERGY STAR qualified lighting and other improvements to further reduce their utility bills..

What the Nuñez de Sole Family Did to Save Energy

Physical Changes

The Nuñez family was already quite happy that their brand new home came equipped with ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, but they still had regular incandescent light bulbs all over the house. They realized that one way to save money was by replacing all the old light bulbs with new ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent lights.

The family also changed to more efficient shower heads so that less energy would be required to heat the water that came out, and installed cap locks on all faucets so water doesn't drip.

Behavioral Changes

The couple uses fewer lights around the house to save energy. Since they live alone, they minimize use of kitchen appliances like the dishwasher and share one fuel-efficient car. The Nuñez de Sole family is not only worried about saving energy inside the house to save money, but they also are concerned about the environment. Every week they recycle paper, plastics, and cans.

Results of the Improvements

The Nuñez de Sole family noticed that by changing all the lighting in their house and making some lifestyle changes to conserve energy, their electricity bill went down by more than $50 a month. Since the only investment was in the new bulbs, the family can pocket those savings. Because of their recent improvements and the ENERGY STAR qualified appliances already in the home, they now spend less on their utility bills than they did in their old house.

Advice from the Family

• Change all your light bulbs to ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs to see a decrease right away in your electric bill. Just this change alone can mean big savings.